Early this month, snippets of Lufthansa’s redesign—its first in thirty years—were revealed ahead of its official 7 February debut.

In place of its iconic yellow, the new look saw Lufthansa take to the sky with a blue redesign that didn’t sit well with many across the aviation and design industry. While the revamp has been described as “bland, pointless” and “a design belly flop of epic dimensions” in some scathing critiques, Lufthansa felt a rework was in order to keep up with changing times.

In line with the 100th anniversary of the Lufthansa crane, the company explained through a press release that it had reworked “every detail of the design…to meet the requirements of the digital age.” Now, its fresh logo, identity, and livery, that were created in-house with Munich-based Martin et Karczinski, have been revealed in full force.

Iconic Crane Logo

Lufthansa’s crane logo, designed 100 years ago by graphic designer Otto Firle, remains the airline’s iconic symbol. Its centenary seemed like the perfect time for the brand to ask itself: “What does Lufthansa really look like now? Not in the design handbooks but out there at the airports.”

Lufthansa designer Ronald Wildexplained, “During this time, we tried out many variations. Like a building that grows when you keep adding to it, each modification is an improvement but lacks overall clarity and homogeneity. We hadn’t changed the logo, typeface and colors in 30 years, and now we’re tying up all the loose ends.”

The brand added, “In the future, it will be slimmer and fit for the digital world. A thinner ring makes the crane look more elegant, bringing it into the foreground and granting it more space. All in all, the trademark will gain lightness and elegance.”

“The familiar blue-yellow color combination of Lufthansa will also be retained—but the use of these primary colors will be redefined. The blue specially developed for Lufthansa is somewhat darker, more elegant and is becoming the leading brand color. It stands for reliability, clarity and value.”

Bespoke Typeface

To meet the changing needs of tomorrow’s digital world, Lufthansa has crafted its own personal typeface, designed for easy reading via mobile devices and smart watches.

According to Lufthansa, its final livery was selected following more than 800 design proposals. “In keeping with the airline’s claim to be premium, the blue color of the livery will dominate the sky and the world’s airports for the next few decades.”

Cabin crew will come dressed in modernized uniforms, complete with yellow accessories. “On-board articles such as tableware, amenity kits, blankets or pillowcases will carry the new design in future. Around 160 million items will be exchanged over the next two years.”

‘#SayYesToTheWorld’ Campaign

With its new look comes Lufthansa’s ‘#SayYesToTheWorld’ Campaign, created to “open up the world to all explorers.”

“It questions familiar ways of thinking and habits…With style, ambition and quality. With empathy for each individual. Reliable and trustworthy.”